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Close Sri Lanka 129 for 5 (Jayawardene 32) and 208 lead West Indies 191 (Nissanka 5-64) by 146 runs Prabath Nissanka led a Sri Lanka fightback with the ball on the second day of this decisive second Test, exploiting a juicy Sabina Park pitch to claim his first Test five-for, as West Indies were skittled out for 191. But West Indies’ pace quartet then made deep inroads into Sri Lanka’s top order to leave the match on a knife-edge at the close.West Indies held a clear advantage on the first evening after dismissing Sri Lanka for a paltry 208, but Nissanka – playing in only his fourth Test – clawed the visitors back into the game with 5 for 64. Muttiah Muralitharan chipped in with the prize scalp of Brian Lara – his 50th wicket against West Indies, in his seventh Test.The bowler’s dominance continued though the final session. Corey Colleymore livened up the Kingston crowd with the wickets of Sanath Jayasuriya (13), who was trapped lbw, and Kumar Sangakkara (12), the first innings top-scorer, who edged behind (43 for 2). When Marvan Atapattu (28), Sri Lanka’s sheet anchor, flirted at a good-length delivery to give Jerome Taylor his first Test wicket, the Sri Lankans were back in trouble (80 for 3).Mahela Jayawardene (32) and Romesh Kaluwitharana (23) shepherded Sri Lanka back into a more comfortable position during a 38 run stand for the fourth wicket. But two wickets in three balls just before the close meant it was West Indies that finished with their nose ahead. Jayawardene nicked a Fidel Edwards outswinger and Taylor flattened Kalauwitharana’s stumps. Sri Lanka closed on 129 for 5 with a slender 146-run lead.Earlier, West Indies had been given a good start by Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds. Gayle smacked 14 off Thilan Thushara’s third over, and then Hinds smashed successive fours of Chaminda Vaas. It had all the hallmarks of being a bad day for Sri Lanka when Muralitharan dropped a skyer from Gayle at mid-on. But then Nissanka weighed in. Gayle tried to leave a ball but gloved it to Sangakkara at gully for 31 (54 for 1) and then Hinds’s flashing drive got an edge through to Kaluwitharana, the wicketkeeper. Hinds made 19 (59 for 2).Lara arrived to a hero’s welcome after his double-hundred in St Lucia, but this time Muralitharan won their personal tussle, trapping the flummoxed Lara leg-before with his arm ball. Muralitharan’s delight and the crowd’s stunned silence testified to the importance of that wicket. Lara had made 10 and West Indies’ decision to play the extra bowlers meant that their tail was almost exposed to the eager Muralitharan.Much depended on Ramnaresh Sarwan, but he was bowled behind his legs by Vaas as he shuffled across his stumps for 31 (107 for 4). Thereafter, wickets tumbled. Nissanka removed Omari Banks and Marlon Samuels, both caught low at first slip by Hashan Tillakaratne, and Muralitharan bamboozled his way through the tail.Collymore and Edwards added an idiosyncratic 16 runs for the last wicket as Tillakaratne mystifyingly left Nissanka kicking his heels at long leg. When Nissanka was eventually summoned it took him four balls to end the resistance. In a low-scoring match, the runs eked out by the West Indies tail could be decisive.Day 1 Bulletin: Edwards enjoys a fairytale debut

* A good year for the BCCIThe Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) has made a netprofit of 37.99 crore during the financial year 2000-2001.This despite the cancellation of tournaments in Sharjah andToronto and the heavy investments made to get the services ofGeoff Marsh and John Wright. Marsh was reportedly paid Rs 25lakh for the three brief visits he made to India during theperiod.The Press Trust of India which carries the report says thatthe huge profits were courtesy sale of television rights, teamsponsorship deals and also “professional marketing of the homeseries against Australia and Zimbabwe”. Strangely, despite the”professional marketing”, the Zimbabwean tour yielded morerevenue (Rs 6.1 crore) than the Australian tour (Rs 3.77crore).The BCCI’s income also tripled in the period from Rs 30.23 inthe last financial year to Rs 91 crore this year. The balancesheet as on March 31, 2001 shows total assets of Rs 201.84crore as against Rs 144.92 crore last year.The major expenses include the allocation of Rs 6 crore forinfrastructure development and Rs 1.92 crore to set up theNational Cricket Academy in Bangalore.Meanwhile, Rs 2.06 crore was spent on coaching camps of whichRs 83 lakh went to the foreign coach (name not mentioned) andRs 29 lakh to the physio.Ace leg-spinner Anil Kumble was given Rs 6,23,182 fortreatment of his shoulder injury while former wicket-keeperSaba Karim received Rs 1,69,261 for his eye operation, PTIadded.* Hey guys, we did a great jobThe BCCI feels that it has saved Indian cricket from beingdragged into the mire of match-fixing.”Far from descending into a slough of despair, the game hasemerged stronger from the crisis brought about by match-fixingand related malpractices. The alacrity with which the boardacted during the year may have helped save a crumbling image.It took great moral strength to condemn our very own,” saysthe BCCI’s annual report prepared by secretary Jaywant Leleand joint secretary Jyoti Bajpai.”But all of us know that welfare of the game and thepreservation of its fair name is greater than individuals.Suffice it to say, cricket in India is on a good wicket now,”says the report which will be tabled during the 72nd AnnualGeneral Body Meeting in Chennai on September 29.”To say the game is back on the rails after going through avery severe crisis of confidence would be most appropriate.Justice is truth in action, is a homily no one will disagreewith. Yet it is a secure future that we look to as we leavethe great scandal behind.”That will be a future free of the kind of disruptiveinfluence that bookmakers brought to bear on the game as theytoyed with the integrity of some of the players of the game.”The board had to take several difficult decisions during theyear. The hardest of all had to do with those of our playerswho may have at some time or the other compromised theintegrity of the game."”The board hopes that by virtue of the decisions of thedisciplinary committee and the punishment it meted out to someplayers, all cricketers will have received a stern warning ofwhat fate awaits them if they indulge in influencing thecourse of matches for a consideration. As Mark Twain said`truth is the most valuable thing we have’.”All this eloquence is followed by a a few words on currentBCCI president AC Muthiah, who is seeking a third term inoffice. “While he faced challenges in his first year that werenot quite cricket, in his second year, Muthiah had to takefirm action and tough decisions to save the fair name of thegame, when cricket was gripped by an unprecedented crisis.”The duo then point out the achievements of the BCCI – “theappointment of national and international consultants, theplacing of orders for video aided analysis for the nationalteam, the setting up of regional and national cricketacademies to give thrust to Indian cricket on par withinternational standards, were the success stories, besidesmany other matters like eradicating the overage problems ofcricketers in age group tournaments, improvement of pitchesand strict financial governance.”Did you say the BCCI can’t make the right pitch?

ScorecardTom Abell gave a further illustration of his rich promise•Getty Images

Warwickshire are on the brink of LV=County Championship victory over Somerset after a third day on which young batsmen Sam Hain and Tom Abell showed their rich promise.Twenty-year-old Hain completed an unbeaten 103 (169 balls, 12 fours) – his sixth century in only his 18th first-class match – to lift Warwickshire to 365 all out and a first innings lead of 100 at Edgbaston.As Somerset then folded all out for 170 in their second innings, the exception to some tatty batting was 21-year-old Abell. The Taunton-born opener, in his 15th first-class match, batted through the innings for a skilful 88 (142 balls, 13 fours).It was the second time in five weeks that he had carried his bat, having achieved the feat against Nottinghamshire at Taunton in June, and he was only denied a deserved career-best (which remains 95) and maiden century by the ineptitude of his colleagues.While Abell resisted, the rest failed to deal with the aggressive seam-bowling of Rikki Clarke (four for 43) and the astute spin of Jeetan Patel (four for 47). Their supine efforts left Warwickshire a victory target of 70 and they reached six without loss before rain lopped of the last 15 overs.After Warwickshire resumed in the morning on 319 for eight, Hain and Patel took their partnership to 83 before Patel (41, 47 balls) was bowled by Overton who then removed Oliver Hannon-Dalby first ball to finish with a career-best six for 74.If a lead of 100 looked useful, it soon appeared mountainous after Somerset, having advanced with relative comfort to 32 without loss, lost three wickets in 14 balls without adding a run.Marcus Trescothick fell lbw, sweeping at Patel, and Clarke delivered fast, straight balls too good for Michael Bates, lbw, and James Hildreth, bowled.Abell dig in admirably but nobody else passed 21. Tom Cooper was trapped in front by Hannon-Dalby and Jim Allenby edged Chris Woakes to second slip before Clarke and Patel hoovered up the rest.Clarke ousted Peter Trego lbw and Overton who thumped two fours then sent up a skier in search of a third. Patel removed Abdur Rehman, who played an appalling shot, and had Alfonso Thomas and Tim Groenewald caught behind off successive balls to finish with match-figures of nine for 136.Twenty overs remained in the day when Warwickshire set off in pursuit of 70 but drizzle forced the players off after 26 balls.

Former Pakistan captain turned politician Imran Khan, who gave authorities the slip over the weekend as a state of emergency was imposed through the country, has vowed to oppose President Pervez Musharraf from hiding.Imran, leader of the (The Justice Party) opposed to Musharraf, escaped from his family home while it was being searched by police as part of a government crackdown on the legal fraternity and opposition politicians.In a message passed to Reuters by his ex-wife Jemima, Imran said: “The police have ransacked my house and ill treated my family members.” He went on to accuse the USA of being complicit in Musharraf’s actions.”Our aim is to continue the struggle and mobilise the youth of the country from underground.”Jemima told the Daily Mail: “The police ransacked his house and roughed up his family. He managed to escape just before they returned with an arrest warrant to cart him off to Kot Lakpat jail. He is now in hiding along with most of his party and thousands of others who fear reprisals for criticising the government.”Imran turned to politics soon after retiring from international cricket in 1992. Though his party has limited grassroots support and has enjoyed scant electoral success, Imran has been among the most vociferous critics of the Musharraf regime.

Darrell Hair, the Australian umpire who this month was banned from umpiring in internationals, has been retained on the ECB reserve umpires list for 2007.Hair was standing alongside Billy Doctrove, the West Indian umpire, when the final Test between England and Pakistan was abandoned on the fourth day following Pakistan’s refusal to take the field after they’d been penalised five runs for ball tampering.Reserve umpires are eligable to stand in any first-class match under the ECB and are granted these matches depending on their level of performance. A space had opened up on the full list following the retirement of David Constant and there was a thought that Hair would move up. However, that role went to Tim Robinson, the former England batsman.Chris Kelly, the ECB’s umpires and match operations manager, told Cricinfo Hair was part of their discussions. “All the reserve list umpires were considered as replacements for David Constant. At the time the decision was taken on who to appoint it still wasn’t clear what ICC’s decision would be regarding Darrell and what decisions he would take himself. It has been a reasonably recent development that Darrell has confirmed his availability with us.”As far as next season is concerned, Kelly is hopeful Hair will be about to go about his umpiring without problems. “If any situations arise we will deal with them at the time,” and added, “everyone on the list is available for future promotion.”Meanwhile, umpires in New South Wales have announced they will wear black ribbons in support of Hair during this weekend’s club matches. The NSW Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association (NSWCUSA), of which Hair is a life member and former president, asked all umpires at club matches to wear the ribbons on Saturday.Earlier this month, the NSWCUSA took out a full-page advertisement in newspapers containing an open letter criticising ICC for its decision to demote Hair from the elite panel following what was seen as pressure from the Asian bloc.A statement from the NSWCUSA said the decision to wear black ribbons was aimed at not just showing support, but also “to express concern at a total lack of respect for the role of the umpire by the ICC along with a demise in the idea of playing by the laws”.

Not long after West Indies’ heavy loss to Australia in the first Test on November 6, among the first words heard in a dejected dressing room were those of encouragement from Courtney Walsh, the former West Indian captain.Walsh was asked by the coach Bennett King to lift the gloom with his presence and his support. “I was happy to have the chance to go to talk with the team,” said Walsh, now in Australia on a coaching and speaking tour. “It’s easier for someone who is not playing to try to talk to them rather than someone who is playing and I just tried to encourage them.”Walsh pledged to help wherever possible during the two weeks he has left in Australia. He even hoped to find a space in his schedule that would allow him to come to Melbourne, where the West Indies start a three-day match against Victoria on November 11, to “talk to them, to watch them bowl, to join them in the nets”.”The team is not as bad as the result shows but the [Australian] victory by 379 runs should not have been as easy as it came about,” he said. “I think they’re lacking a little bit of experience and, if all of us get behind them whenever we can, it’ll be all the better for them. I certainly think that the bowlers need to have someone to keep working with them, taking them through situations,” he added. “It doesn’t have to be me, it doesn’t have to be Mikey [Michael Holding], but somebody who can say, look, this is what I want you to try to do now, for a session or for the day or whatever.”There was also need for similar assistance for the batsmen. “I’m not trying to take away anything from anybody because what I’m hearing from the players is that Bennett King is doing a good job with getting the right work ethic and discipline and that’s important,” Walsh said. “But I think they need that sort of encouragement from somebody who they can believe in or look up to. Maybe they need someone like that in the batting as well.”They are recommendations the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) need to seriously consider. They could do worse than negotiating with Walsh to immediately join the coaching staff for the remainder of the tour. When King was appointed, the WICB named Sir Garry Sobers as technical consultant. But the greatest allround player the game has known stated from the beginning he is unable to undertake overseas tours.King, the former head of the Australian Academy where he succeeded John Buchanan, the current Australian coach, has introduced the methods that have made Australia the most dominant team in international cricket. He had had a frenetic introduction. The disruptions caused by the protracted row between the WICB and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) have meant 32 players have been under his charge during his year in the job.

His invitation to Walsh is a hint that he would appreciate a full-time appointment of a former West Indies cricketer with the knowledge, reputation and esteem of Sobers and Walsh. Rather than pressing them into practice and training, King preferred to give those players who wanted it the day off yesterday, presumably to quietly overcome the trauma of the stunning first Test defeat.But five players – Corey Collymore, Daren Powell, Devon Smith, Dwayne Smith, and Denesh Ramdin – requested practice at the indoor nets at the Gabba to work on various aspects of their game and King was there to guide them through.The team flies to Melbourne on Tuesday to prepare for the three-day match against Victoria, starting on Friday. It will give King and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, the captain, the opportunity to assess the best combination for the final two back-to-back Tests in Hobart and Adelaide that immediately follow.It certainly won’t involve four non-batting fast bowlers, as was the case in the first Test, but rather the introduction of Dwayne Bravo to bat No. 7, bowl nippy medium-pace and add speed and certainty to the fielding. He won’t have long to gain the necessary form. Another allrounder, Dwayne Smith, should have his first match of the tour. It could also be his last unless he turns in a spectacular performance that would prompt his inclusion over Bravo.

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Romesh Kaluwitharana finished his first-class career by captaining Colts to victory in the 2004-05 Premier League Tournament. It was Colts’s first domestic title since 2001-02.Victory was all but assured after BRC were bundled out for 178 to give Colts a decisive, and match-winning first-innings lead of 196. Chaminda Vaas collected with 5 for 32 to go with his first-innings century as BRC lost their last five wickets for 34 runs, The lower order failed to continue the good work put in by Manoj Mendis, who, on the second day, had propped up BRC with a spirited 73 with 12 fours.Colts needed to bat out time on Sunday afternoon, and Kaluwitharana dispelled any fears of a dramatic turn-around by putting on 77 for the first wicket with Shantha Kalavitigoda before being out for the last time in his career, to Duncan Arnolda. Kalu was given a rousing send-off, and his team-mates gave him a guard of honour. Kalavitigoda pressed on, despite Sajeewa Weerakoon cutting through the Colts’s middle order to claim 3 for 60, and reached his hundred from 117 balls with 12 fours and a four sixes before umpires called time.At the post-match presentation ceremony, Weerakoon was awarded the bowler of the tournament, while Rashan Peiris of Colts was player of the tournament. Russel Arnold, who wasn’t playing in the final, was batsman of the tournament.

Outgoing International Cricket Council (ICC) president Malcolm Gray hasadmitted that the contracts controversy was laced with evils like “greed andparochialism”, according to a report from India Abroad News Service.Gray, who will hand over stewardship of the ICC to Pakistan’s Ehsan Mani onThursday, spoke at length about issues that have strained relationshipsbetween players, national cricket boards and the ICC. The interview quotesGray as saying: “The contracts issue was a problem that was entwined withgreed, bad management, lack of communication, nationalism and parochialism.”Further, he admitted that the ICC could have handled the imbroglio moresensitively. “We at ICC should have realised that the communication betweenthe players and the boards was lacking in many parts of the world. Maybe wecould have done more to ensure the players were properly informed and theirviews taken into account.”Gray’s statements come in the wake of a claim of £ 50 million by the GlobalCricket Corporation (GCC), who earlier entered into a US$ 550 million,seven-year sponsorship deal with the ICC. The deal assured the GCC of antiambush-marketing measures, some of which could not be fulfilled in thecourse of the World Cup.Shortly before the ICC Champions Trophy and the World Cup, uneasycompromises were reached and the tournaments got under way. It is thesecompromises that have given rise to circumstances in which the GCC can stakeits claim for £ 50 million from the ICC.Gray appreciated the gravity of the situation, but remained optimistic thata solution would be reached. “It is a complex issue and the claims that haveemanated will take time to find solutions. However, if they are approachedwith a sense of reasonability by all parties, an answer could be arrived atin a relatively short time.”

As early as day two of the CricInfo Championship, Division Two clash between Middlesex and Warwickshire at Lord’s, a stalemate has been achieved.History suggests a draw: as Middlesex haven’t won at Lord’s against The Bears since 1983. Warwickshire last beat Middlesex in 1992. Last year’s game was a typical high scoring draw.Middlesex reached an epic 502-7 declared at tea, with Paul Weekes (107) and David Nash (103*) completing centuries today.Warwickshire replied with 158-2. Mark Wagh, in his 50th championship appearance stroking an unbeaten 82 and Ian Bell, in his ninth championship game, making an unbeaten 65.With depleted attacks and a flat pitch, early breakthroughs were essential. Warwickshire didn’t take a wicket until mid afternoon, after Weekes and Nash had added a record between the counties of 189 for the sixth wicket. This surpassed the record of Mark Ramprakash and Keith Brown, who added 184 at Lord’s in 1996.Today was just the second time that four players had made centuries in an innings at HQ following Middlesex’s 1920 quartet of P.F Warner, H.W Lee, J.W Hearne and N.E Haig.Stephen Fleming and Ed Joyce made tons during another record Middlesex v Warwickshire stand yesterday.Warwickshire’s debutant, Jamie Spires, 21, who wasn’t required to bowl today, commented: “If you didn’t bowl off stump, any error in length is punished.”This partly explains why just five wickets fell for 322 runs in 88 overs today.Middlesex’s declaration brought relief for Warwickshire. But just as the home team had been 33-3 early yesterday, Warwickshire began badly to be 6-2 after just nine balls.Fraser straightened one to trap Mike Powell lbw, then Tim Bloomfield bowled Nick Knight for a duck, on the back foot as the ball came in down the slope.But the contrasting styles of Wagh and Bell were then illustrated, particularly in two overs from Middlesex medium pacer Simon Cook. In the first, Wagh’s graceful straight drive brought up as 45-ball 50 containing nine fours. In the next the more compact Bell pulled two sixes into the nearby Grandstand to bring up the team’s 100 in just 132 balls.Yet another 1920’s stand between the counties was threatened as 19-year-old Bell, and 24-year-old Wagh passed 150 for the third wicket, three overs from the close.

The rain affected South Zone Cooch Behar Trophy match between Kerala andGoa, predictably enough, ended in a disappointing draw at the MedicalCollege ground in Trivandrum today. Play was possible only for 133 minuteson the first day during which Goa made 71 for eight wickets. The second andthird days were completely washed out and the teams got three points each.This was the second successive no result for Kerala.